Berlin
Sometime after WW2 two brothers decided to leave their fascist dominated country of Spain and make their way in the world. These two brothers, known as Juan & Cesar Vidal, settled down in Berlin, importing Spanish chocolate from the homeland as a means of income. 363 Industries was born. And from it, a new start for the devastated city of Berlin. The Map Rest in peace Berlin, we knew thee well. The City The city of Berlin is suffering. Between the constant supernatural creatures preying upon the weak and innocent, and the corrupt political body that is governing the city, Berlin has seen better days. Hunter Cells are few and far in between, and those who do take up arms against their supernatural predators often find themselves dead or worse. The Kindred The Kindred play a dangerous game in Berlin. The original prince having abandoned the city to its own devices sometime towards the end of WW2, the Kindred of Berlin devolved into petty squabbling and warlord-like politics. Several months later and hundreds of slain Kindred, a victor emerged; Countess Yolanthe. She united the warring factions into a stable political body. Eradicating dissenters. While Prince Dorne maintained the Masquerade under pressure of the Invictus, Yolanthe saw the opportunity to eradicate the puppeteers and take full control of the city. During the Requiem of Woes Yolanthe and her thugs moved on the Invictus capital in Berlin and burnt it to the ground killing those inside. Yolanthe, confident in her rule, began rebuilding the city. Alliances were made, dissenters were crushed. And contact was re-established with the rest of Germany. From the ashes and ruin of Berlin rose the House of the Phoenix with Yolanthe at the head. The Uratha The werewolves of Berlin rarely ever venture into the city. More often than not, they prowl the Darklands and the outlying forests. The cause of this is unknown, but werewolf attacks are so rare that their existence in Berlin is often questioned. Knights of Hohenzollern The Knights of Hohenzollern are a military order that hunt supernaturals. They are a modern continuation of the Teutonic Order lead by Prussian royalty. They seek to not only rid Germany of supernatural taint, but rebuild the Prussian Empire. Malleus Maleficarum The Malleus Maleficarum was a powerful religious hunter conspiracy analogous to the Papacy of medieval Europe. Prior to 363 intervention the Maleficarum was a unified political body. However after catching wind of suspected corruption and supernatural infiltration, charges were levied at Germaine Weinstein. This caused a schism in church and shortly afterward a civil war broke out instigated by Germaine's loyalists. Maxius Maxius is a powerful elder Kindred who is attempting to wrestle control of Berlin from Countess Yolanthe. What little is known about him is that he is a rather large Gangrel who prowls the Darklands looking for fresh soldiers to ghoul. Major Events This is a list of major events that have happened in Berlin. The Heinrich-Laehr Incident Heinrich-Laehr Park was the location where 363 Industries committed its first act of violence towards the police. A shootout followed by an intense car chase through various ghettos of Berlin left over 10 officers dead, with 4 injured, and nearly 20 civilians all injured or killed. It was also the location where the Maleficarum civil war began. Maleficarum Civil War The Maleficarum Civil War was a conflict that started February 3rd, 1960. It raged on for six months before a cease-fire was concluded. While peace was never declared, the renegades and loyalists put aside their conflict as disease ravaged Berlin. Nearly 50 Maleficarum personnel have been killed over the six months of fighting and both sides have suffered thousands of dollars in property damage. Their conflict brought the Knights of Hohen one step closer to dismantling the Maleficarum and absorbing its holdings. The Necrotic-Flesh Eating Virus The N-FEV outbreak was the result of a virus created by Dr. Maylis on her first mission with 363 Industries. The original victim was a Kindred, who was put into torpor before the disease wore off. The body never fought back, and as a result every single person who came into contact with the body was infected. The House of the Phoenix, not wanting to risk a Masquerade breach, sent agents to clean up the mess and those mortals who had discovered the body. However it proved to not be enough, as the Kindred who came in contact with the virus became carriers - and all those they fed upon became diseased. The outbreak quickly spread into the vast German countryside and claimed the lives of nearly 100,000 people and infected countless more. Worse yet, 363 Industries quickly found the disease was being spread deliberately by agents of unknown origin. The extent of the outbreak may never fully be known due to the actions of these individuals. Indeed, the virus may never fully be eradicated because of them. The CDC has called the N-FEV outbreak a "disaster of epic porportions, the likes of which will be felt for decades to come." Martial Law Martial law was called into effect following the outbreak. As it continued to claim more lives, pushing the death toll ever higher, the local government was pressured into fixing or covering up the issue. Both the American and Russian governments deployed ground forces to help contain the spread. When word got out that the outbreak was supernatural in occurrence, a Media Blackout was implemented and special forces were deployed to stop whatever was causing this. When martial law was put into effect, it severely limited the ability for Hunter groups to carry out their missions. 363 was spared this limitation, having government plates and documents allowing them to operate moderately freely. Peace Summit As time progressed, the Maleficarum Civil War had all but subsided. On January 18th, 1961 the two opposing sides came together at a peace conference. After several hours of intense mediation, a sort of treaty was devised. However, before it could be ratified, members of Germaine's loyalists attacked the Kindred Elysium. The resulting battle claimed the lives of over 100 Kindred, including the Primogen and the Prince. Within hours virtually the entire Kindred political structure had been destroyed. The fallout of the event threw the supernatural hierarchy of Berlin into chaos, as suddenly Kindred were found without the vast protection of their patriarchs. Many believe the call for a treaty was merely a cover for this operation, a ruse to keep the major powers ignorant of Germaine's motives - whatever they are. 363 Remission 363 Industries was at the forefront of the Vigil for over a year. In that short time period they completely changed the political landscape of Berlin. They had their ups and downs, but in the end Berlin would be completely different had they not taken the mantle. However all good things must come to an end. With the inclusion of martial law, and the attack on the Kindred Elysium, 363 Industries decided to take a step back from the world of darkness that was Berlin. Their step back into the shadows came as a tough decision as Juan Vidal had become tied up in being apart of the Mayor's cabinet. This does not mean that 363 isn't still operating in Berlin, indeed they have become more of a "parental" figure to the budding Hunter organizations that have risen since their first foray into the Vigil. On February 19th, 1961 363 Industries had formed a Compact with Cadena de Hierro taking the first step towards growing their globe spanning Conspiracy that exists in the modern era. A New Beginning While 363's story had ended, others were beginning. With Kindred society in absolute upheaval, a necrotic flesh eating virus consuming the countryside, and the cold war supernatural factions descending upon Berlin, it is an even more chaotic time indeed. Possible New Beginnings Kindred Society There were two major factions vying for control of Berlin: * The House of the Phoenix * The Augustus Family The House of the Phoenix were mostly aristocratic in nature. They had ruled over Berlin for the last two decades as puppeteers behind Prince Dietrich von Kimmler. However, with the death of Kimmler and most of the Primogen the ruling council of Berlin is in ruin. Countess Yolanthe is in torpor, but that may very well change. The Augustus Family is mainly represented by the Maxius Agustus - the current Patriarch of the Bloodline. While there existed other Augusti within Berlin, they were killed in the attack on Elysium. The Augustus Family was hit the hardest during the events of Peace Summit, and don't have very many Kindred left. Furstenwalde League The Furstenwalde League is a group of Awakened who operate all across Europe and the Middle East. They are a militant-scholastic Order perusing ancient texts and religious scriptures. They are also the most interested in studying other denizens of the World of Darkness.